North Caldwell police capture would-be burglars

NORTH CALDWELL -- Two would-be burglars were arrested minutes after a neighbor spotted them kicking in the door of a North Caldwell home, the borough’s police said.

Angel Rodriguez, 39, and Euquerio Ortiz, 43, both of Newark, were arrested on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy to commit burglary, said North Caldwell police Capt. Mark Deuer.

The men, who were seen fleeing in a white minivan, appeared to have been scared off by the home’s alarm system, he said. North Caldwell police put out an alert for the men, and Essex Fells, Caldwell and West Caldwell police arrived to assist.

The men were arrested at Park and Bloomfield avenues, about a mile from the home in the 200 block of Park Avenue.

“When they got to the intersection, the light was red, and there was some traffic, so there was nowhere for them to go,” Deuer said.